When it comes to planning a trip with your dog, there are definitely some qualitatively better options than others. We’ve pulled together what we feel are the least dog-friendly national parks here in the U.S. so that you can make an informed decision. (Your can also check out our most dog-friendly picks.)
We hand-researched the information below (current as of February 2024), but you should verify with the National Park Service (NPS) site.
Objectively the Least Dog-Friendly National Parks
Channel Islands National Park
Unfortunately, pets aren’t allowed anywhere in Channel Islands National Park. Given that it’s an island, many of the native wildlife haven’t been exposed to diseases or parasites that dogs and other pets might bring with them unintentionally.
Dog-friendly alternatives to Channel Islands National Park: We’d suggest checking out Ventura or Santa Barbara, as there are numerous dog-friendly breweries, boat rentals, beaches, and trails in these areas. We liked California Wanderland’s guide to Ventura and Travel Awaits’ suggestions on dog-friendly Santa Barbara.
Isle Royale National Park
To get to Isle Royale National Park, you have to take a ferry, seaplane, or private boat to this remote island smack dab in the middle of Lake Superior. While this hidden gem is one of the least-visited national parks annually, you’ll have to plan a trip without your pets.
Even pets on boats aren’t allowed, and technically boats with pets on them cannot be within 4.5 miles of the park boundaries even on Lake Superior. You can find more details on the Isle Royale National Park site. Similar to the concerns at Channel Islands National Park, dogs pose a risk to wildlife that haven’t been exposed to modern diseases and parasites. (In fact this happened in 1980, when canine parvovirus came to the island and infected the native wolf population.)
Dog-friendly alternatives to Isle Royale National Park: For an island experience, Bois Blanc Island or picturesque Mackinac Island offer great natural beauty for you and your dog. (However, we’ll note that both of these options are far more developed and built-up than Isle Royale National Park so they’re not exactly one-to-one replacements.)
National Park of American Samoa
Though American Samoa is a gorgeous tropical spot in the South Pacific, we recommend planning to leave your pups home for this one. Dogs aren’t allowed on beaches or hiking trails at the National Park of American Samoa (and pets are never allowed inside national park visitor centers or other buildings). Technically dogs and other pets can join their families for a drive through the park, but given the complexity of getting to American Samoa, we call this one an objectively less dog-friendly national park. More details available on American Samoa’s National Park page.
Fun fact we learned while researching for this post – though American Samoa is a U.S. territory, U.S. citizens still must have a valid passport and an exit ticket to enter Samoa.
Subjectively the Least Dog-Friendly National Parks
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
This national park features some unique desert features visible to the eye, plus well over a hundred caves and caverns below the surface. Dogs aren’t allowed in the caverns, on unpaved trails, off road, or during bat flight. Since Carlsbad Caverns doesn’t have an established campground and dogs aren’t allowed off trail for backcountry camping, there also isn’t anywhere to post up.
If you’re comfortable with kenneling, Carlsbad Caverns does offer kennel service for $15 per day while you explore the tavern and the desert terrain. For more details on hours of operation, vaccination requirements, and reservations, click here.
I thought Templeton Travelers‘ plan to allow two people to visit the park without having to use the kennel, was well thought-out and makes sense if you’re hoping to check out the caverns.
Canyonlands National Park
Some of Utah’s national parks are more dog-friendly than others, but Canyonlands offers the most restrictions on dog and pet access than some of the others. Dogs are not allowed:
- On any hiking trails
- Anywhere off-trail
- At any overlooks
- In any buildings (though this isn’t just a Canyonlands restriction)
- In the backcountry
Furthermore, unlike some national parks (including one we’ll get to in a moment), Canyonlands does not permit pets on backcountry roads even in vehicles. Full details can be found on their national park site.
Given the harsh conditions and extreme summer temperatures, we’d probably suggest planning to visit Canyonlands without your pet.
Dog-friendly alternatives to Canyonlands National Park: Though the summer conditions still apply here, we’d highly recommend Dead Horse Point State Park and Corona Arch, both of which are dog-friendly!
Rocky Mountain National Park
We love the mountains and while the thin air doesn’t always love us, we can’t seem to resist it. We had the chance to explore Rocky Mountain National Park a couple of years ago while in the area for our friends’ wedding, and had a great time. (Our dogs spent the long weekend back in Utah.)
While we’d recommend exploring this park, it’s not the most dog-friendly option. The park itself states very firmly that pets are prohibited on all trails, tundra, and meadows. Dogs and other pets can join you on-leash for camping in established campgrounds or picnicking in specified areas, as well as on paved roads and parking areas. However they cannot join on backcountry roads or anywhere else within the park.
Dog-friendly alternatives to Rocky Mountain National Park: Fortunately there are a lot of nearby parks, trails, and forests to explore with your pets. If you scroll down on the Rocky Mountain National Park pet page, the park staff have recommended options with details on trailhead locations, distances, difficulty levels, and dog-friendliness.
North Cascades National Park
With stunning evergreen forests, expansive lakes, and glaciers throughout, North Cascades National Park in Washington State is on the top of our national park list. Since dogs aren’t allowed in the park except within 50 feet of roads or leashed on the Pacific Crest Trail, we’ll probably save this one for a time when it’s just the humans.
Dog-friendly alternatives to North Cascades National Park: The Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas are pet-friendly, on-leash water areas that are technically adjacent/part of the national park complex. You might also want to explore national forest lands surrounding or near the national park, as most of them allow dogs on leash.
Unexpectedly More Dog-Friendly Than We Thought
Big Bend National Park
Visitors to Big Bend National Park can enjoy diverse terrain, geological features, and native wildlife over the park’s 800,000 acres.
Dogs are not allowed on trails, in the backcountry, or in the river. As the Big Bend National Park site specifies, “your pet can only go where your car can go.” With challenging climate conditions during the summer, predators such as coyotes and mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and cacti, Big Bend’s regulations on pets are intended to keep our dogs and the native wildlife safe.
While this isn’t a par to visit with our dog, others make a strong case However, Go Pet Friendly makes a solid case for going to Big Bend with your dog, including over 200 miles of dirt roads that aren’t heavily trafficked. David at Pawsitively Adventurous also offers several suggestions and tips for nearby dog-friendly state parks in southwest Texas.
